Interesting facts you didn't know about Argentina

Home to the famous Tango dance, home to many psychologists, and a ban on people naming their children Lionel Messi. are interesting things about Argentina, the country that just reached the 2022 World Cup Finals.

Top 13 unique things about Argentina

1. Radio broadcasting was invented here

Argentina was one of the first countries in the world to have a radio station. The country's first broadcast was made in August 1920. At that time, only 20 people had radio receivers.

2. There have been two female presidents.

Former President and Vice President of Argentina, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, is the first female president to be formally elected in Argentina. However, she is not the first female president to rule Argentina. Isabél Perón – who was vice president to her husband Juan Domingo Perón – served as Argentina's first female president for two years, following her husband's sudden death in 1974.

3. Pato: The official national sport in Argentina

Another fun fact about Argentina and while football is certainly Argentina's favourite sport, a much lesser known sport called Pato is the official national sport in Argentina. It is a game played on horseback, incorporating elements of basketball. Pato is Spanish for 'duck', as in the earliest games (as early as 1610) a live duck inside a basket was used instead of a ball.

Pato was banned several times, as it was considered too violent – ​​not only for the poor ducks, but many players were trampled underfoot. In 1953, Perón declared Pato the official national sport of Argentina and it is still played today, however the rules are much less violent and the use of ducks is strictly prohibited!

4. Argentines eat Gnocchi on the 29th of every month.

An Argentine tradition is to eat gnocchi (potato dumplings called duc in Argentina) on the 29th of each month, a practice that was probably influenced by immigrants from Italy. Gnocchi – made from potatoes, flour and salt – is a cheap meal, ideal for the end of the month when money is tight. Argentines have a custom of placing money under their plate of gnocchi, to attract good luck and fortune for the coming month. As a tourist in Argentina, you will notice that many restaurants serve special gnocchi on the 29th.

5. The first animated film

As expected of radio pioneers, Argentines also created the first animated films! The world's first full-length animated film was made and released in Argentina, by a man named Quirino Cristiani in 1917. And it is said that he was the inspiration for Walt Disney, when during a trip to Argentina the founders of Walt Disney visited Quirino's studio on the outskirts of Buenos Aires.

6. One of the largest film industries in the Spanish-language film world

Even more than animation, Argentines love cinema! Argentines have the highest rate of movie attendance in the world. Additionally, film production in Argentina has become one of the largest film industries in the Spanish-language film world.

7. Highest number of cosmetic surgeries

Argentine women have the most cosmetic surgery in the world. Argentina is perhaps one of the most body-conscious countries in the world. (Sadly, over 30% of their women suffer from some form of eating disorder.)

8. There are many psychologists here.

Another unusual fact about Argentine culture is that they are the country with the most psychologists per capita in the world. Recent studies show that there are 145 psychologists per 100,000 residents.

9. Highest and lowest points in South America

Argentina is a land of natural diversity! It boasts the highest literacy rate in South America and has the highest point in the Southern Hemisphere – Mount Aconcagua (6,962 metres) in the Mendoza Province of Argentina; and the lowest point, – Laguna del Carbon (-105 metres) – in the Santa Cruz Province. Additionally, the hottest and coldest temperatures ever recorded in South America both occurred in Argentina!

10. The first country to use fingerprints for identification

Argentina was the first country to use fingerprints as a method of identification. In 1892, the small Argentine town of Necochea, in the province of Buenos Aires, was rocked by the gruesome murder of two children. With no witnesses to the crime, local police were unable to pin the murders on any specific suspects. Using bloody fingerprints left on the doorknob, a local detective discovered that the killer was the children's mother (who eventually confessed to the crime).

11. Ban on naming children Lionel Messi

In Argentina, authorities have banned people from naming their children Lionel Messi. According to Mundo Deportivo, the law was enacted in the hope that it would help reduce confusion among public agencies when there are so many children with the same name. This is one of the interesting things about Argentina.

12. Argentina is the home of the famous Tango dance.

The dance originated in the capital city of Buenos Aires in the 19th century, and was originally performed in the poor areas around the docks. At that time, some people looked down on the dance, considering it lowly and unbeautiful.

13. 97% of Argentines are of European descent

Most of them are of Spanish or Italian origin. This is due to mass immigration in the mid-19th century.